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17 October 2013

NITYA PARAYANA STOTRAS OR DAILY PRAYERS

Sanathana Dharma better known as Hinduism is one of the greatest and finest of ancient religions. It preaches that every individual's aim should be Moksha which in simple words means merger with the Ultimate truth called Brahman and reaching a state of no re-birth.

Savants and sages of the religion suggest several methods to attain this enviable state. Of these the simplest is Bhakthi Yoga or devotion and to God, which ultimately merges you with God. To make this easily possible a pan theistic concept of God is enunciated by the religion. Also the Godhead is viewed in myriad forms so that the devotion to him can be done in a manner closest to our heart. He is viewed by some as a child or friend or mother or father or a cruel one who punishes or a kind one who is merciful or even as our sweet heart. This has resulted in varied type of prayers addressed to his or her favourite Form of God/Goddess.

Morning Prayers:

A Hindu is supposed to wake up very early in the morning much earlier to sun rise. It is believed that the first thing you see in the morning determines one's day.

As soon as one wakes up see he is supposed to see his palm and recite the following sloka / mantra:

Karagre vasathu Lakshmi, Karamadhye Saraswathi,
Karamoole sthitha Gowri, Prabhate Kaa Darshanam.

Lakshmi lives in the tip of my palm,
Saraswathi lives in its middle,
And Gowri lives at its base,
So I see my palm in the early morn.

Earth is a Goddess to Hindus. She is one of the wives of Maha Vishnu one of the trinity of Hinduism. So it is necessary to ask her pardon before one sets ones foot on her. This is done by the following prayer:

Samudhra vasane devi, parvatha sthana mandithe,
Vishnu pathni namasthubhyam pada sparsam kshamasva mae.

Salutations to you consort of Lord Vishnu,
Who is clothed by oceans,
And is adorned prettily by the mountains,
Pardon me mother, for setting my foot on you.

Cleanliness is a sin qua non-to every Hindu. He does purification of the body as well as the mind during his bath. Purificatory bath is ultimate if it is done in the sacred waters of some great rivers of India. The following prayers are recited while taking bath:

Govindethi sada snanam Govindethi sada japam,
Govindethi sada dhyanam, sada Govinda keerthanam.

Meditate on Govinda while taking bath,
Meditate on him in your prayers,
Meditate on him while thinking of God,
And always sing his name.

Gange cha Yamune chaiva Godavari Saraswathi,
Narmada Sindhu Kaveri Jale asmin sannidhim kuru.

I pray you to enter,
This water meant for my bath,
Oh, holy river Ganga,
Oh, Holy river Yamuna,
Oh, Holy river Godavari,
Oh, Holy river Saraswathi,
Oh, Holy river Narmada,
Oh holy river Sindhu,
And holy river Kaveri.

Fire is one of the greatest Gods of Hinduism. He according to them acts as a bridge between this ordinary world and the Gods of heaven. Symbolically the lamp is lit and kept in the house. Here is a prayer addressed to the lamp:

Shubham karothi kalyanam, aarogyam, dhana sampadam,
Shathru budhi vruddhi vinasaya deepa jyothi namo nama.

Salutations and salutations,
To the holy flame of the lamp,
Which bestows on me all that is good,
Health as well as wealth,
And destroys all my enemies.